Method of feeding glass to forming machines



Feb. 16 1926. 1,573,635

L. A. onza! y uETHoD or' FEEDING emvssjo ,reunio ucnmss original Fired nec. 14', 1914 2 shuts-5 1 /fwf/vrofr Feb. y16 192e. 1,573,635

L. A. DREY HETHOD OF FEEDINQ GLASS T0. FORMING MACHINES original Filed Deo. i4, 1914 2 shuts-'SMN 2 have been devised, such as a discharging Patented Feb. 16, 1926.4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEO A. DREY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'TO BALL BROTHERS COMPANY, 0F MUNCIE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OE INDIANA.

METHOD 0F FEEDING GLASS TO FORMING MACHINES.

Original application filed December 14, 1914, Serial No. 877,070. Patent No.l 1,146,694. dated July 13,

1915. Divided and this application filed June 28, 1915. Serial No. 36,724.

Be it known that I, LEO A. DREY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of :F ceding Glass to Forming l\;[achines,A of which the following is a specilcation containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in methods of feeding glass to forming machines, wherein a controlled stream of glass is gathered in batches in a heated chamber on a support which iswithdrawn upon an operation of a forming machine before the complete filling of the chamber, to the end that the batches are maintained in a heated chamber during their times of gathering and a minimum of their surfaces are contacted before being fed to the forming machine. This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial Number 877,- 070, tiled December 14, 1914, and lpatented July 13, 1915, Number 1,146,694.

In this art various forms of apparatus means controlled by a' glass'gathering and severing means, wherein the gathering means is filled at each operation, a discharging means controlled by a plug which cuts off the flow of glass during transfers of the molds of the forming machine, and a continuous free flowing discharging means whose stream is controlled by a cup and llznife which dumps and cuts gatherings or batches from the stream and drops them into molds on the forming machine.

In the methods of the first and second types mentioned, the gathering devices are filled at each operation, which subjects the batch to Contact on its bottom and sides and in the method ofthe third type the glass is gathered and dumped in the open. where it is exposed to chilling and its sides and bottom subjected to contact.

It. is well known in this art that articles formed from batches gathered by a punty are relatively free from 1narkings" because suchgathcrings have. been subjected to no contact between the furnace and the mold'.

In the drawings. forming a part of this specification, I illustrate one form of apparatus capable of carrying out my method, and in which drawings vFig. 1 is a fragmental sectional elevation showing the glass gathering and severing means in a closed position with a gathering or batch of glass therein;

Fig; 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the gathering and severing means in an open position and the batch being dropped therefrom and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical perspective showing grouped fragments of a forming machine, the gathering and severing means, and automatic means for operating the gathering and severing means and the means for controlling the flow of glass.

In order to make clear my method, I will describe in detail the 'construction and operation of the embodiment of my invention as illustrated, and will refer' to the drawings by numerals, by which 5 will be employed to designate aboot or lateral projection of the furnace through which the glass flows to the discharge orifice. I prefer to employ as this oriiice a ceramic bushing 6 through which the glass fiows from the boot 5.

To control the flow or discharge of glass throughthe bushing 6 I employ a plug 7 of ceramic material and this plug is adjusted relative to the bushing by means comprising a frame 8 to which is pivotally attached a lever 9, from which is suspended the plug T by means of a link 10, a bracket 11 in which is mounted a. hand wheel 12 and a threaded rod 13 connecting the lever 9 and the hand wheel.

In the boot beneath the bushing 6 (discharge orifice) I provide a tubular sleeve 14 whose internal ,diameter is greater than the diameter of the discharge orifice, to the end that a stream of glass flowing from the discharge orifice will flow through the sleeve 14 without contacting its sides. This sleeve is heated by conduction from the boot body, as well as from thc stream of molten glass flowing therethrough and forms in effect a gas-eens envelope or heated chamber through which the stream flows, with a minimum loss of temperature and free from contact.

Beneath the sleeve 14 I mount a head 15, having an opening 16 in registration with the sleeve and discharge oriiice,and arranged to slid-ably support the glass gathering and severing means, which comprises the sepairable, Water cooled cup-sections 17 and 18 and the knives or severing elements 19 and 20. j

Pivotally connected with each knife is a lever 21 Which are suspended from the boot and Which fulcrum upon pins such as 22 shown in Fig. 3. At the ends of these levers opposite said knives is a cylinder 24 pivotally connected with the one lever while the stem 25 of the piston locatcdwvithin the cylinder is pivotally connected with the other lever. Leading from the ends of the cylinder are the flexible tubes 26 alternately serving as intake and exhaust pipes for the cylinder and controlled by a valve 27 in an air line ,28 leading from a source of compressed air not shown. This valve includes a Istem 29 Whi .h is movable to effect opening and closing of certain ports to the end that thc air is `first directed to one end of the cylinder and exhausted at the other end and 'then directed to the opposite end of the cylinder and exhausted.

The numeral 30 designates a fragment of the rotary table of a glass forming machine having intermittent motion to bring its molds 31 successively beneath the discharge orifice and beneath the plunger 32.

This machine belongs to the type in Which theplungr is timed to operate With each movement of the table carrying the molds, for example the commercial Miller machine.

Secured to the plunger is an arm 33, Whose free end carries a stem 34 operating through an opening formed in said arm to yieldingly bear upon the stem 29 of the air valve 27.

The operation of the apparatus just described is as follows:

Assuming the glass to be in a condition to freely flow through the discharge orifice, the plug adjusted to flow the right volume of glass as its fluidity demands, power applied to the forming machine, the -air valve supplied vvith compressed air and the parts all in the position shovvn in Fig. 3, that is the gathering devices and knives in a closed position and the plunger of the forming machine elevated, it Will be obvious that when the plunger descends the arm 33 carried thereby will actuate the valve 27 and supply air between one end of the cylinder 24 and the piston and exhaust the cylinder at its other end, so that the floating cylinder and its piston are both moved to rock the levers 21 and move the gathering devices from beneath the heated gathering chamber.

The gathered batch of glass is then free to drop into a mold. Immediately succeed-1 -ing the dropping of the batch the plunger is elevated and the mold containingl the batch is brought to position beneath the plunger. l Y

This movement of the plunger just mentioned removes the stem 30 from the stein 29 of the air valve, to the end that the ports therein reverse the air and cause the cylinder' and piston to bring the shear members to closed positions, Whereat they conjointly act to sever the batch from the stream and are in position to gather a succeeding batch.

The adjustment of the plug referred to flows an amount of glass during the time of gathering less than the capacity of the heated gathering chamber, hence the batch is contacted only on its bottom, leaving the remainder of the batch in free suspension and enveloped in a gaseous envelope tending to prevent hetroplasticity in the batch.

In this manner the apparatus as a whole may be continuously operated, requiring only the adjustment of the plug to control the volume of glass as its fluidity varies and the removal of the finished articles from the molds. l

Having thus described vone form of apparatus capable of carrying out or performing my method, I will now describe the advantages and improved physical characteristics of the glass, from the furnace to the mold, and the finished article.

Glass, in its condition in the furnace, at the point of delivery, is the desideratum in the molds; at this point of the furnace, the glass is of uniform plasticity or density, by reason of its being in a quiescent molten condition. In my method this condition maintains at the discharge orifice and in the discharge practically the same condition exists, for the reason that the stream is directed Without physical contact through a heated chamber or gaseous envelope at or about the same temperature as the furnace, and deposits or gathers upon a partible support, which engages only the bottom of the gathering or batch. This batch having only its bottom contacted, is then dropped by gravity directly into the mold, Where its contacted bottom portion reaches the bottom of the mold and enters Wholly into the bottom of the finished article, so that if the contact produces any mark on or in the article there Will be little or no depreciation in the commercial f value of the article, for the reason that the major visible portion of the article, such as the sides of a tumbler or fruit ar, Will be Clear.

It Will thus be seen that the batch or gob out of which the desired article is to be formed is necessarily of slightly different -plasticity or density Where contacted with a support, during gathering, but not sufiiciently to produce uncommercial imperfections in the finished article. That portion of the gathered batch or gob which contacts with the partible support naturally becomes a little denser by chillinf.;- or compresl Sil 1.0 ings,

ias-emacsv f By controlling the stream with relation to xthe, timing of the gathering' and severing mean`s, as well as the tming'of .the molds and plunger, I am enabled to obtain uniformit in volume or' weight of the gathero'- the end that the finished articles areof uniform weight, and further that the plunger and mold may have batches of univ form weight t act upon in the formation of articlcshaving uniform thicknesses through- I claim:

' furnace to a mold, which consists in flowing glass on a support' which contacts with only a portion of thebatch and' subjecting the free. unsupported remaining portion of the batch to heat.

2. The gathering'of asupported batch of glass without contacting the sides of the 25 batch, -to the end 4that .the sides of` the va support 'with' the inished article areunmarked, and enveloping said uncontactedsides of the batch 1h heat during such gathering.

k3. The method 0f delivering glass toa formingv machine, which consists in discharging' the glass from its'receptacle by its own 'gravity into a chamber, accumulating Within said'chamber a gob of glass of substantially uniform density, and rovided'with a base to conform withsthe otktom of the jmold of the for-ming machine,-

, discharging said gob thus formed and severing the gob from the lass issuing from the chamber at a point w ere .it has the least 40 diameter.

4. The method of delivering as a continuous operation inolten glass into a forming machine, which consists, in containing the molten glass in a suitable receptacle; in

passing the discharged glass into a chamber .between the receptacle and forming machine, and supporting it from beneath therein free from the sides of said chamber; and dischar g and severing the glass accumulated withln the chamber Aperiodically with the movement of the molds carried by the form' ing machine.

5. The methodjof delivering glass which consists',in continuously flowing glass, and in gathering supported batches, from the flow, whose side surfaces are in free sus- Pension and unehilleddurin the time of gatherin y and' mechanica y `severing atches t us vgathered from the ow, 6.' The her'emdescribed method of delivering glass from a furnace to a mold which-con- -ssts in gathering abatch, from a ow, on

free on .and protected from atmos- A pheric air, during the time of gathering, then the bottom only of the article sides of the batch inV the time of gathering, and then severing the biatches thus Aformed from the iiow mechanically.

8. The method of delivering glass, to a forming machine,which consists in lowing glass through a discharge orifice, in enveloplng the flowing glass, in heat, as it leaves the orifice and whilc'it is in free suspension, in gathering batches in said heat, by suprting the free end of the stream, in periodically dischar ing and inall severing the discharged batches from the ow.

9. The method of delivering glass; to a forming machine consisting of irst causing a, mass of glass to 'flow continuously; sccondly, supporting said continuously flowing glass in'a heated atmospherewhereby a goh of glass is formed which has had only a minor portionthereof contacted with uring the formation of the gob, and third, periodically releasing and separating said gob from the stream and dropping it into the mold of a suitable formin machine'. 10. The method of gathering g ass from a continuously iowing stream which consists in interrupting said stream in an. enclosed assage and causing it to form a gob there- 1n, ldischarging; said gob into the mold of a forming machine, and severing the stream above said gob, said gob having only a portion of its exterior surface contacting with 'a support and becoming chilled during its sists in first severing the stream and enlarging the severed end thereof, next supporting only a rtion` of` said enlargement and gathering rom Said stream and above V the en- 'largement additional glass without chilling the same, and lastly, withdrawing the su port fromsaid gob and dropping 1t into-t e mold of a forming machine and severing the stream above the gob. e

12. The method o f gathering gobs of glass from a constantly flowing stream which consists in supporting only the bottom of the gob'while the remainder. is being gathered and protected from' contact with atmospheric wir, and then'vsevering the gathered gob from the on-coming stream.

13. rIhe method of 'gatheringgobs-of glass vfrom a constantly flowing str'em which consists in irst severing vthe stream, "sec.ond,' enlarging the severedjend of said stream and supportingand chilling only the bottom of su.

enlargement, gathering from stream and above the enlargement suflicient unchilled glass to forni a gob, and lastly, dropping said gob and severing ,the stream above said gob,

14. The method of delivering glass from a furnacet a mold which consists in flowing the glass in a stream from a furnace, gathering and' severing from saidl stream a batch which has only the bottom portion of its exterior surface chilled, whereby a batch is obtained whose side surface has a different density from its bottom surface.

15. The method of delivering glass from a furnace to a mold which consists in flowing the glass in a steam from the furnace, and separating from said stream at intervals a batch of glassvwhichhas had only a portion of its exterior surface chilled by being contacted with. u

16.' The method of gathering gobs of glass from a flowing stream which consists in` interrupting said stream and retarding the interrupted portion of said stream by meansl of a separable support while the gob isV` being gathered, which support contacts with only a portion of the exterior surface of the gob during its gather, the remainder of the exterior surface being uncontacted with andof substantially furnace tempei'ature.

17. The methodof gathering gobs of glass by means of a separable support from a continuously flowing" stream of glass, which consists in interrupting said 'stream,'and then causing a portion of the interrupted stream to come in contact with said support so that its downward travel is interrupted and the glass .permitted to accumulate to form a gob, said gob during its accumulation having only a portion of its eiiterior surface contacting with the support whereby 'a gob is formed which has only a portion of its exterior surface a different densitythan the remainder of said gob.

1,8. The method of delivering glass from a furnace to a mold from a continuously flowing stream, which consists in gathering and separating` from said stream a batch of glass which has only a minor portion of its outside surface chilled by contacting with a support during its gathering period, the remainder .thereof Y being protected against cold.

19. The method of delivering glass from-a furnace, to a mold from a continuously flowing stream, -which consists in gathering in a cup from said stream a batch of glass, only the lower portion of the exterior surlface of which 'contacts with said cup, the

remainder being protected against contact with the outside air, releasing said batch from said cup and then severing the batch from the stream. Y

20. The method of gathering gobs of glass Afrom a flowing stream which consists in first severing said stream, supporting the with.

the on-coining stream to the end that a gob I is lgathered which has only a portion of its exterior surface chilled and contacted 21.` The method of delivering glass to a forming machine consisting in first estab-y lishing a continuously flowing and regulated Vstream of glass, second, in gathering and forming from said stream in a closed passage of larger .diameterthan said stream and containing a heated atmosphere a gob of glass, which has only a minor portion contacted with, and, third, 'releasing and vseveringl the gob thusfornied from said stream thereby causing the same to drop into a mold periodically and independently of the weight of the gob.

.22. The method of delivering glass from la furnace toa mold which consists in first establishing a continuously flowing and regulated stream of glass, forming from said stream at regular intervals, gobs of glass, supporting said'gobs of glass in a closed chamber which during their formation and when completed have had-only a portion of the 'exterior surface-contact' with f whereby a gob is formed whose side surface has a different density from its" bottom surface, separating the. gobs thus formed and dropping the same at regular intervals into the mold of the forming machine.

23. The method of dischargingl and cutting oil molten glasslfrom a glass delivering receptacle having an ,upperl outlet and a lower outlet connectedv by a closedpassage, consisting in collecting a .mass of glass in said passage 'between said outlets with the side surface thereof uncontacted and discharging said mass of glass', elongating the glass from the upper youtlet in' a portion s narrower than the size of saidlower outlet, and cutting off the glass at the lower outlet at such elongated portion.

24. The method of d liveringmjolten glass from a furnace to a mold,wh-icli consistsf in flowing a stream of molten glass from a discharge outlet into a passageelosed at its low'er end and of larger diameter-than said outlet, accumulating glass therein, surrounding the flowing Istream and accumulated glass while in said passage witlra'highly heated atmosphere, periodically discharging the accumulated glass from said passage and severing the stream above the accumulated glass, and retaining the glass above e cutting point within the passage until t e next accumulation of glass has been formed.

25. The method of delivering molten glass to a furnace, which consists in establishing a regulated flowing stream of glass, flowing said stream intoa heated passage and supporting the same therein, accumulating glass..

, supported on its r`lower end only,

' causing-the accumulated severed mass to pass into a receptacle.,

26; The method from-a .furnace which consists in estab ishing a flowing stream of glass, passing the same into `a heated passage of larger/diameterA than said stream,l 'and gathering a quantity of glass in said "passage, which glass has onl a portion of its exterior surfacepontacte with during such gather, then reopening sa1d passage and permitting said gathered glass to pass from the passage,

of delivering molten lass and then again closing said passage thereby severing the stream of glass and dropping said gather into a mold. 27. The method of delivering glass to a 'forming' machine which consists in establishing a continuous] iiowing stream,v regulating the volume o 110W into a discharge orifice, enlarging the end b supporting and accumulating fa gob which as onl)rv a minor portion of its surface contacted with, in a heated atmosphere, and eriodically severing the stream and disc argin said gob into the molds of a forming mac ine.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my-*30 name to this specification.

LEO A. DREY. 

